Friends of the Underline

As we completed our second year of programming phase 1, prepared for the opening of phase 2 and facilitated public meetings for the design and construction of phase 3, Friends of the Underline experienced an incredible year of growth. In september 2023, together with miami dade county, Friends hosted the phase 3, the final 7- mile phase of the Underline, ground breaking featuring representatives from local municipalities, the state and the federal government. the theme throughout the year was one of connections. Whether it was the dozens of nonprofits who hosted events on the Underline or the small businesses who elevated their profile by selling goods in our park, or the participants our free programs, we were connecting with the community. Please find our highlights below: - launched seven new free and public programs and launched a new farmer's market, which is supporting more than 20 local businesses. - established a broad network of over 170 partners including non profits, schools, institutions and businesses. - hosted more than 200 free programs that enaged miami's diverse diaspora, including neighborhoods such as little havana, overtown, little bahamas, the roads, vizcaya and more. - grew our neighborhood ambassadors group made up of liasions from all of the neighborhoods along the Underline. - engaged more than 400 volunteers who contributed more than 4000 hours of community service to the Underline. -installed new engaging public artworks including typoe's sculpture garden and hank wiill thomas' duality. - debuted the atala society, a sponsor membership group comprised of donors giving from 1,200 to 10,000 annually. - secured more than 10 grants from new funding sources, including a 2 million grant for urban forestry from the usda. - hired our first dei fellow, who drafted our organization's first diversity and equity framework, which will drive future programming, marketing and data collecting objectives. All of the Underline's hard work has been featured in local, national and international publications, including: the architect's newspaper, cultured magazine, ocean drive, business insider, miami today and impact edition. "